The Bahrain Grand Prix held in Malaysia turned out to be one of the most chaotic events I have ever witnessed in Formula 1. What began as a bold effort to resurrect a beloved circuit that had been absent from the calendar for nine years ultimately proved a triumph, thanks to a blend of inventive problem‑solving and sheer determination. First, I must acknowledge the fans. Over the weekend I met dozens of spectators, especially at the airport on Monday morning, and many told me they endured extremely long queues trying to leave the venue and reach their hotels.
The road network around the circuit became a gridlock nightmare, with shuttle buses stuck in traffic and drivers forced to wait for hours. Although the race had to be assembled on a very tight timetable, the logistical hiccups were disappointing. My heartfelt thanks go to the Malaysian supporters who, despite these inconveniences, still managed to enjoy the on‑track action and even got drenched on the grid walk just like I did.
When the cars were lining up, a sudden weather cell unleashed a heavy downpour. The rain hit just as the teams were positioning the "easy‑up" shelters over the cars and the crews were frantically fitting wet tyres.
The standing water on the circuit was so deep that race control had to suspend the start procedure. Once the rain eased, officials announced a short safety‑car period: two formation laps behind the safety car followed by a proper standing start. The plan seemed reasonable until several cars began crawling at a crawl and eventually stopping altogether, while the safety car continued at its normal pace, quickly pulling away from the field.
Drivers were reluctant to overtake the extremely slow cars, fearing a breach of the regulations. Six Ferrari‑powered entries, a handful of Red Bull Powertrains machines and even a McLaren‑Mercedes appeared to be affected.
This was the first wet‑weather outing for many of the brand‑new 2026 cars, and an unforeseen technical problem emerged. Investigation revealed that the root cause lay in the FIA’s standardized control software – the so‑called "brain" that governs critical functions to ensure parity. The code was not designed to handle cars travelling at the very low speeds imposed by the safety‑car interval, causing the power units to cut out.
Drivers were forced to hit the control‑alt‑delete combination to reboot their systems, resulting in a scene of utter pandemonium. Cars were scattered across the track in two, then three, groups, while the safety car inexplicably found itself mid‑pack rather than leading the field. Race control ultimately decided to abandon the standing start and bring the field back to the pits.
This raised a further question: would drivers who had stopped and lost positions—most notably Lewis Hamilton’s Ferrari—have to restart from the position they occupied when they re‑entered the pit lane? After a lengthy 40‑minute pause, during which the rain finally cleared, officials made a fair decision: the grid order would be restored to its original layout. Simultaneously, the FIA engineers rewrote a segment of the control code, adjusting key power‑unit parameters that govern operation below 50 km/h.
The patch was transmitted to all cars, even those that had not experienced the glitch, such as the Aston Martins. With the software issue resolved, the safety‑car period resumed, this time with the cars travelling faster and the track drying rapidly. The circuit, notorious for sudden cloudbursts, usually dries quickly, but on race day the ambient temperature was lower than during practice and qualifying.
The pit lane and the pit straight appeared bone‑dry on television, prompting many teams to contemplate a slick‑tyre start. Ferrari, McLaren, Audi and Aston Martin all leaned toward dry tyres. However, as the safety‑car line released the field, a fine mist of spray lingered, and corners three and five remained damp.
Some drivers, like Oscar Piastri (McLaren) and the Audi duo, instantly recognised that the intermediate tyre—featuring shallow water‑groove tread—was the optimal choice. Others, including Hamilton and Lando Norris, elected to stay on the dry compound, hoping the track would improve quickly. Charles Leclerc also stayed on slicks, but on the first racing lap he clipped a barrier, breaking his front wing and forcing an unscheduled pit stop for intermediates.
The stop cost him dearly; he fell behind Hamilton’s sister Ferrari, which was moving at a painfully slow pace on dry tyres. The track surface itself showed signs of heavy wear. Years of extreme heat—often exceeding 60 °C—have taken a toll, and the asphalt has not been resurfaced for this one‑off event. The old pavement, riddled with microscopic pockets of water, behaved like a sponge, retaining moisture longer than expected.
This slowed the drying process and forced teams to constantly reassess tyre strategy. At the front, a thrilling duel unfolded between the two Mercedes entries—Kimi Antonelli and George Russell—and Max Verstappen’s Red Bull, all on intermediates. Verstappen, who had been the pre‑race favourite for three days, displayed his usual blistering pace.
It would take nine laps before Lando Norris, on slicks, could match the speed of the intermediate‑shod leaders, and by then the slick runners were still over a minute behind. Just as the race seemed to settle, Valtteri Bottas spun his Cadillac into the gravel at turn 13, prompting a full‑size safety‑car deployment.
This timing proved advantageous for the leaders: they could pit for fresh intermediates under safety‑car conditions, losing only about 18 seconds instead of the usual 26‑second pit‑stop penalty. The safety‑car stayed out for an extended period, allowing the slick‑tyre cars to close the gap and erase the large time deficit they had accrued. Hamilton chose not to pit, valuing track position over fresh rubber.
Remarkably, he stayed on his starting soft‑compound dry tyres for 31 laps, a decision that eventually paid off as the track continued to dry. Antonelli maintained a strong pace in the lead, engaging in several impressive overtakes with his teammate Russell.
Meanwhile, Verstappen’s natural speed on dry tyres, combined with his clever restarts, propelled him into a commanding lead that would prove unassailable despite later drama. Further action unfolded when Alex Albon’s Williams stalled on the exit of turn three on lap 42.
Marshals had to extract the car from a service road, triggering another safety‑car period to allow the field to bunch up for the recovery. During the subsequent laps, many drivers elected to fit used but still viable tyres to ensure adequate grip for the final sprint.
The safety‑car also gave the three lapped cars a chance to un‑lap themselves, a process hampered by a flawed regulation that slowed Sergio Perez’s progress. Two pivotal incidents followed.
Russell’s Mercedes suffered a power‑unit failure even at safety‑car speed—a reminder that components can break when not under full load. The retirement was a painful blow for Russell and his supporters, echoing the string of bad luck that has plagued his season. Shortly after, Lando Norris, unaware of the slowed pack ahead, braked too late, swerved to avoid colliding with his teammate Oscar Piastri, and spun onto the gravel. He lost several positions and could not regain them under safety‑car rules, ultimately finishing ninth.
This incident kept McLaren just 18 points ahead of Red Bull in the Constructors’ standings. In the closing stages, Verstappen executed another flawless restart to cement his lead, while Antonelli chased as best he could. Hamilton passed Isack Hadjar for third place, and Leclerc mirrored the move for fourth, delivering a solid result for Ferrari team principal Frédéric Vasseur, who has been under intense media scrutiny.
Racing Bulls’ Liam Lawson and Arvid Lindblad secured seventh and tenth places respectively, and Fernando Alonso rounded out the points in eighth, his Aston Martin performing better than expected thanks to the circuit’s layout and the way the worn surface interacted with the car’s aerodynamics. Verstappen’s victory marked his first win of the season and the inaugural triumph for the brand‑new Red Bull‑Ford power unit, earning him the fan‑driver of the day award for the seventh time this year.
Antonelli, meanwhile, extended his championship lead to 84 points after finishing ahead of his main rivals Russell and Hamilton. Looking ahead, the next two rounds in Qatar and Abu Dhabi remain on schedule, offering another 50 points each. Even if Kimi Antonelli were to miss the upcoming races in Singapore, Austin or Mexico, his points cushion would still keep him atop the standings with four events remaining. The race concluded after a grueling three‑hour‑twenty‑minute marathon, finishing just twelve minutes before the allotted time limit.
Fans now turn their attention to the upcoming Singapore Grand Prix, the final sprint weekend of the season, which promises fresh challenges for teams and drivers alike. The action will be broadcast live on Sky Sports F1, with streaming available via NOW without a contract and the option to cancel at any time.